Macon County should be proud to have a politician who makes promises to voters, and then works to try to keep them.

I’m referring to Commissioner Ron Haven. He received significantly more votes than his opponents in the 2010 election by promising to work to prevent a steep slope ordinance from being passed, and to make changes to the County’s Planning Board. Those promises apparently resonated with many voters.

He has been working for more than a year to keep those promises.

With the resignations of two commissioners over the past year, Commissioner Haven’s progress has been slowed. I believe Commissioner Haven’s recent public e-mail, sent to his fellow commissioners, county manager, media, and others, was a display of his frustration with the slow progress. He has met one delay after another.

Commissioner Haven’s e-mail removes the façade that the Board of Commissioners is one big happy family. Politics is, and has been, alive and well in Macon County. Many issues can be handled amicably between partisans. The Planning Board is apparently not one of those issues.

Environmental groups like the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee, and the Western North Carolina Alliance would like to severely limit the development of private property in Macon County and elsewhere. They diligently work to get overly restrictive land use and development ordinances established -- thus their strong support for a steep slope ordinance and its advocates on the Planning Board.

Expect environmental groups, Democrats, and local newspapers to attack Commissioner Haven. It has already started. Commissioners Corbin and Tate can expect the same treatment if they support Commissioner Haven. They both will have to run for election this year, and once again the Planning Board will be an election issue. Keep up your efforts Commissioner Haven, and know that many Macon County citizens support you on this issue. I expect Republican Commissioners Corbin and Tate to do the same.